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Stridor in the Primary Care Setting

  • Pulmonary (RP Boesch, section editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This paper will review common etiologies of stridor for primary care specialists with an emphasis on recent literature.

Recent findings

New international consensus recommendations for laryngomalacia provide management algorithms per symptom severity with acid suppression therapy being considered prior to surgery for moderate laryngomalacia. CT imaging has been proposed over diagnostic bronchoscopy for patients with suspected foreign body aspiration. Endoscopic balloon dilation is successful in 50–100% of subglottic stenosis cases dependent on the severity. Vocal fold immobility resolution occurs in up to 40% of idiopathic cases versus only a quarter of neurologic and cardiac etiologies. Speech therapy is first-line treatment of vocal cord dysfunction.

Summary

A thorough history and physical with special consideration of presenting age and stridor characteristics is imperative for accurate diagnosis. Flexible laryngoscopy, direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy, and/or imaging are utilized in many cases for diagnosis and/or management.

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References and Recommended Reading

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Correspondence to Allison G. Chisholm MD.

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Allison G. Chisholm and Romaine Johnson declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pulmonary

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Chisholm, A.G., Johnson, R.F. Stridor in the Primary Care Setting. Curr Treat Options Peds 4, 456–466 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40746-018-0144-x

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